Dear Israel
I am an Indian doctor who has been living in Dubai for the past few months. I find the Muslims here very tolerant. Even though they follow their religion very righteously they are willing to let others live their lives. They love peace and know full well that peace means prosperity.
However, I watch the Aljazeera news channel regularly. I find that they regularly showing documentaries about Israel's treatment of the Arabs. They show real life stories about children and women and families being affected because of the blockade.
Unfortunately we hardly ever see the Israeli perspective. Israelis are always projected as a group of monsters who have unlawfully taken over the land and are committing atrocities against innocent Arabs. Your side of the history or the problems you face are not being projected any where .Very few of us have any idea of what the Jews suffered under successive regimes.
In India and the rest of the world, we have very little awareness of what is really happening in and around your country.
Prophetic Promise
Israel is being compared to the apartheid regime in South Africa. The recent visit of Archbishop Tutu only corroborated that charge, and that which is shown on the news every day is what the public at large will sympathize with.
It is high time your media began making real life TV programs showing the truth about the borders and what the actual problems in Gaza are. News shows about Hamas shooting rockets into Israel territory and the effect of those attacks on the daily lives of people there or the security wall that you never really wanted to build would be good topics. Or how about how you have developed your country within a short span of 60 years into a nation which has to be reckoned with.
Shows should also be made about the suffering of your people during World War II. Young people of many nations have only heard the word "Holocaust" but do not understand the true meaning if it .
Why can’t such stories be made into documentaries? That will project your side of the picture to the world.
Israel Adds Stability
I feel that your media should do a better job of projecting all the good work going on in Israel to the world. It could be documentaries, TV shows , projects done with outsiders, humanitarian assistance, life stories of achievement , any thing that can be projected on news channels , like CNN , NDTV, BBC and others, which are watched by millions the world over.
I believe if there is any stability at present in the Middle East it is because of Israel's capability to act as a nuclear deterrent. Unfortunately even though the UAE and a lot of so-called "moderate" Muslims recognize this, they will not say it openly as they are worried about hurting the sentiments of their Muslim brothers in Iran, Iraq and Syria.
Quiet diplomacy and spreading knowledge about the truth about Israel & Gaza can achieve a lot more than what can be achieved through war!
I hope and pray there will be peace in the world.
Dr Susan Verghese is a Consultant Microbiologist originally from Chennai, India